Ambulance stretcher device

ABSTRACT

The invention comprises an ambulance stretcher having a pair of sections with bottom support plate members in each section disposed in horizontal planes, said bottom support members having their inner edges overlapping in flush relationship to one another, a pin pivotally connecting said bottom members together along their overlapping portions whereby one section may be pivoted relative to the other section in a horizontal direction to facilitate transporting the stretcher about sharp corners.

United States Patent [72] Inventor WencleJ. Ml'nak 3,417,412 12/1968 Andrews 5/82 Bowman, N. Dak. 58623 FOREIGN PATENTS [211 APPLNQ 799346 71261 61915 s 1 d Filed Feb-14,1969 witzer an 5/82 [45] Patented May 4, 1971 Primary Examiner-Casmir A. Nunberg AttrneyRobert E. Kleve 54 AMBULANCE STRETCHER DEVICE 2 Chums 4 Drawing Figs ABSTRACT: The invention comprises an ambulance [52] US. Cl 5/82 stretcher having a pair of sections with bottom support plate Cl i A475 83/04 members in each section disposed in horizontal planes, said [50] Field of Search 5/62, 81, bottom support members having their inner edges overlapping 2/ in flush relationship to one another, a pin pivotally connecting said bottom members together along their overlapping por- [56] References cued tions whereby one section may be pivoted relative to the other,

UN ED TA AT section in a horizontal direction to facilitate transporting the 3,396,414 8/1968 Niveaw 5/82X stretcher about sharp corners.

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2 INVENTOR FIG-4. Wencle'J. Mrnok BY @mmw ATTORNEY AMBULANCE STRETCHER DEVICE This invention relates to ambulance equipment, more particularly, the invention relates to ambulance stretchers.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel ambulance stretcher which may be easily used in cramped quarters and where narrow turns in corridors are required.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel stretcher which may be pivoted in the middle to make it easier to take the stretcher around corners.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel stretcher which is made in sections and is pivotally connected so that the sections may be pivoted relative to one another to enable the stretcher to carried around narrow corners without having to remove the patient from the stretcher.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds and when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the pivotally adjustable stretcher invention, with the stretcher invention illustrated in its straight position in solid lines, and in its pivotally adjusted position in dotted lines.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the stretcher invention.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the pivotally adjustable stretcher invention.

P16. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable stretcher invention taken along line 4-4 of F l0. 1.

Briefly stated, the invention comprises a pivotally adjustable stretcher having a pair of sections with bottom support plate members disposed in horizontal planes, said bottom support members having their inner faces overlapping in flush relationship to one another, a pin pivotally connecting said bottom members together along their overlapping portions whereby, one section may be pivoted relative to the other section in a horizontal direction to facilitate transporting the stretcher about sharp corners.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in FIG. 1, the pivotally adjustable stretcher invention is illustrated having a left-hand section 21 and a right-hand section 22. The lefthand section has a flat bottom base member 23 and with a U- shaped bar 24 fixed to the outer edge of the member 23. A plurality of upright posts 25 are fixed to the bar 24 and projects upward. A second U-shaped bar serving as a guard rail, 26 is fixed to the upper ends of the posts 25. A U-shaped handle 27 is fixed to the intermediate portion 28 of the upper bar 26 and projects outwardly therefrom. The upper and lower bars 24 and 26 each have their one end portions 29 and 20 respective, which are stepped inwardly toward one another with bores 31 at their outer end for receiving a pin 31. The upper and lower bars 24 and 26 have their other end portions 29 and 307 relatively straight and have bores 32 for receiving a pin 32'.

The right-hand section 22 has a similar, complimentary construction to the left-hand section 21. The right-hand section 22 has a flat bottom base member 33 with a U-shaped rod 34 fixed around the outer edge thereof, with a plurality of upright posts 35 fixed upright to the U-rods 34 at spaced intervals therealong. A second U-shaped rod 36 serving as a guard rail, is fixed to the tops of the upright posts 35. A handle 37 is fixed to the intermediate portions of the U-rod 36 and projects outwardly therefrom. The U-shaped rods 34 and 36; at their one ends 37 and 38 are stepped inwardly toward one another to project between the ends 29' and 30' of rod members 24 and 26, with bores 39 aligned with bores 32 to receive the pin 32'. The other end of rod 41 of rod 36 isrelatively straight and the other end 40 of rod 34 is stepped up slightly to provide room for plate member 23 to pass thereunder when pivoting sections 21 and 22 relative to one another. The ends 40 and 41 pass over and under the stepped in portions 29 and 30 of the rods 24 and 26; and they have bores 42 aligned with bores 31 to receive the pin 31. The bore 42 in the lower end 40 of rod 34 extends only partially downward into the rod 34 so that the pin 31 when inserted into the bores 42 and 31 will not project below the rod 34.

The bottom plate members 23 and 33 overlap one another at their inner ends 23 and 33 with a bolt 43 passing through members 23 and 33 and a nut threaded onto the bolt pivotally connecting the two sections together. Also, a rivet may be used instead of the bolt 43.

OPERATION The pivotally adjustable stretcher invention operates as follows:

For normal use, the leftand right-hand sections 21 and 22 will be positioned in a straight position as shown in solid lines in FlGS. 1, 2, and 3, and 4 with the pins 31 and 32 locking the two sections 21 and 22 in their straight position. The pin 31 passes through the bores 31 in the ends 29 and 30 respectively of bars 24 and 26 of the left-hand section and passes through the bore 42 in bar 36 and into the bore 42 in the bar 36 and this is in the right-hand section 22, to thereby lock the sections 21 and 22 together in their straight position. As a further lock, the pin 32 passes through the bores 32 in the ends 29 and 30 of rods 24 and 26 and through the bores 39 in the ends 37 and 38 of the rods 34 and 36 to further lock the two sections together.

When its is desired to pivot the sections 21 and 22 relative to one another such as illustrated in FIG. 1, the pin 31' will be removed allowing the ends 29 and 30 of the left-hand section to move relative to ends 40 and 41 of the right-hand section and pin 32 will be removed to enable the ends 29 and 30' of the left-hand section to move relative to ends 37 and 38 of the right-hand section, whereby, the left-hand section and the right-hand section, 21 and 22 may be pivoted relative to one another about the bolt 43 so that for example, the left-hand section 21 may be pivoted to its position illustrated in phantom lines and designated by numeral 50, or it may be pivoted in the opposite direction or to an intermediate angle position. By pivoting the section 21 to its position shown in phantom lines 51 in FIG. 1, this enables the stretcher to be carried in a horizontal position when carrying the stretcher about narrow sharp corners which the stretcher would not be able to be carried in if it was in its straight position illustrated in solid lines, so that the patient generally illustrated by the numeral 52 does not have to be removed from the stretcher when the stretcher must be carried around a sharp, narrow corner while in a horizontal position. Otherwise, the stretcher would have to be manipulated to an upright angle or some other angle to afford room to get the stretcher around the corner and the patient would have to be removed and replaced on the stretcher during this interval.

An arcuate plate 53 is fixed to the bottom of the base member 23 and has a stepped-down annular inner edge 54 which overlaps the arcuate outer edge 33' of the plate member 33 in sliding relation and acts as a reinforced guideway for the two sections when pivoting the two section relative to each other.

A similar arcuate plate 53' is fixed to the top of the member 33 and has a stepped up annular inner flange 55 which overlaps the arcuate outer edge 23' of plate member 23 in sliding relation and acts as a further reinforcing guideway for the two sections when pivoting the two section relative to each other.

Thus, it will be seen that a novel stretcher has been provided which may be utilized to carry a stretcher about a sharp corner while maintaining the stretcher in a horizontal position illustrated in FIG. 1, by simply removing the pins 31' and 32' and pivoting the left-hand section 21 or right-hand section 22 relative to one another.

It will be obvious that various changes and departures may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and accordingly it is not intended that the invention be limited to that specifically described in the specification or illustrated in the drawings, but only as set forth in the appended claims wherein:

gated guard rail means spaced above one of said plates and extending along the sides and about the outer end of said one plate with laterally upwardly extending braces fixed between said first-mentioned guard rail means and said one plate to connect said first-mentioned rail means to said one plate, a second horizontal guard rail means spaced above the other one of said plates and extending along the sides and outer end of said other plate with laterally upwardly extending brace means connecting said other guard rail means to said other plate, said rail means of said one plate overlapping said rail means of said other plate at their inner ends, whereby a person may be placed upon the base plates of the stretcher and the plates may pivot about the vertical axis of said pin to make it easier to transport the stretcher about sharp corners when carrying said person.

2. A stretcher according to claim 1 wherein pins detachably connect the first-mentioned rail means to the second rail means at their inner ends to lock the baseplates together. 

1. A stretcher comprising a pair of elongated base plates, said base plates being aligned horizontally in end to end relation to one another with their inner ends overlapping, a pin extending vertically through said inner ends of said plates to pivotally connect said baseplates together, horizontally elongated guard rail means spaced above one of said plates and extending along the sides and about the outer end of said one plate with laterally upwardly extending braces fixed between said firstmentioned guard rail means and said one plate to connect said first-mentioned rail means to said one plate, a second horizontal guard rail means spaced above the other one of said plates and extending along the sides and outer end of said other plate with laterally upwardly extending brace means connecting said other guard rail means to said other plate, said rail means of said one plate overlapping said rail means of said other plate at their inner ends, whereby a person may be placed upon the base plates of the stretcher and the plates may pivot about the vertical axis of said pin to make it easier to transport the stretcher about sharp corners when carrying said person.
 2. A stretcher according to claim 1 wherein pins detachably connect the first-mentioned rail means to the second rail means at their inner ends to lock the baseplates together. 